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Redmond, WAThe new CPSC legislation could severely affect the sales of children's items and anything perceived to be a children's item in the US. The legislation applies to all 'manufacturers' be it large scale, like Mattel, or small scale like us cottagers.
I urge people to read over the CPSC FAQ available here http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/faq/faq.html in order to form your own opinion as to how this legislation may affect you.
There are also several topics on the Etsy and eBay seller's forums where the ramifications of this new legislation are being discussed.
This could affect makers of artist bears and dolls because these items could, in the CPSC's own words, be "...commonly recognized by consumers as being intended for use by a child 12 years of age or younger".
The legislation is utterly unclear on if there is any way to define an artist bear, doll or other "juvenile" seeming item as an item intended for adult collectors.
The CSPC has provided this form to ask questions. Hopefully they will be answered quickly and to our satisfaction. This could have dire effects on innumerable cottage industries.
Redmond, WAThey are clearly art to us but are the clearly art to someone who knows nothing about teddy bears beyond the one they had as a child? That's the problem here. We sort of live in a bubble of doll & bear shows and other venues where people understand the difference. However, the majority of people in the US believe bears and dolls, unless they are obvious antiques, are things for children. The way the legislation is written now is so vague it doesn't recognize "artist' creations. What people are asking is that modern artist bears, dolls, etc be recognized so we aren't endangered by frivolous lawsuits or whatever else might come from this legislation (an example might be that our listings become reportable as 'unsafe toys' on eBay).
Not to mention this is just one facet of the problem. There are cottage industries that do make items for children so as to provide an option to the foreign-made products that started this entire bruhaha. For instance, Waldorf/Steiner toymakers. These people will effectively have to close shop unless some amendments are made to the legislation. Sure, this doesn't affect me but I'm not so cold as to shrug and turn away from fellow artists and creators just because they chose to make better toys for children.
All this sort of thing makes me wonder how any of us grew to adulthood. It certainly must be amazing I'm still alive having as a child played lawn darts, ridden a bicycle before bike helmets were even available, bounced around untethered in the back of our old Bronco, watched Roadrunner cartoons (surprisingly, even as a wee child I figured out one could not really survive a 500' drop off a mesa), ate Halloween candy offered by neighbors we barely knew, built treehouses 15' up in nigh inaccessible parts of the forest with scrap wood and nails with kids mostly younger than myself, had to rely only on Mr Yuk stickers and common sense not to drink the bleach or Drano...all sorts of things I shouldn't have survived according to today's standards. :crackup:
Thank you Merry!! I've filled in the comment form explaining why I believe the following phrasing should be removed from the legislation: Whether the product is commonly recognized by consumers as being intended for use by a child 12 years of age or younger
Edited to add: I supplied a list to them of the world wide list of teddy bear magazines that was posted here a while ago as "proof" that artist bears (which are NOT for children) are accepted world wide as collectible art for adults.
Carlyle Bear Co.Well (and hilariously) said Merry! I just received the e-mail from Etsy this morning with the link and I have not read it yet but I will. I just started selling bears and this issue just makes my stomach sink to the floor.
By the way, I did almost all of the "unsafe" things you did as a child with some big-brother dares in addition and I too managed to live to 37. 
